Workforce Consultant Newsletter

March 2024 Edition

Employer Resources

The following list of resources is not exhaustive and is updated on an ongoing basis.
Note that funding opportunities may have application windows.

Grants and Funding Programs – General

Canada Alberta Job Grant (Government of Alberta) – gives eligible Alberta businesses an opportunity to increase their productivity, the skill levels of their employees, and their ability to retain workers.

• CAJG covers 66% of training costs for current employees to a maximum of $10,000 per trainee per year.
• If hiring and training an unemployed Albertan, up to 100% of training costs are covered, up to $15,000 per  trainee.
• CAJG covers direct training costs, including tuition fees, exam fees, textbooks, software and eligible travel costs.
• Applications are accepted year-round.

Indigenous Employment Training Partnerships Program (Government of Alberta) – grant funding for Indigenous communities and organizations to deliver group-training projects designed in partnership with employers and other partners.

Jobs and Growth Fund in Western Canada (Government of Canada) – funding to help create jobs and position local economies for long-term growth, including funding dedicated to eligible businesses created after January 2020.

Northern and Regional Economic Development Program (NRED) (Government of Alberta) – funds initiatives led by Alberta municipalities, Indigenous communities, and non-profits that promote regional economic development and diversification.

Wage subsidies and assistance programs (Government of Canada) – information on federal programs to help you hire the right employees for your business.

Training on the Job Program (WCB Alberta) –subsidy to employers to hire and train someone who is unable to return to their regular job due to a workplace injury. The worker develops skills and gains work experience while the employer receives financial support from WCB during the employee’s training period.

Workforce Partnership Grant (Government of Alberta) – grant program to support labour market adjustment strategies and workforce development through partnerships. The program includes Labour Market Partnerships and Workforce Attraction and Retention Partnership projects.

Workforce Strategies Grant (Government of Alberta) – grants to support organizations with innovative solutions that will help Albertans develop new skills and assist employers and industry to grow their workforce.

Workplace Training Program (Government of Alberta) – offers eligible Albertans work-site training and paid work experience. Participating employers provide on-the-job training and/or work experience with government funding contributions, with the expectation that participants maintain employment after completion of the program.

Grants and Funding Programs – Industry-Specific

Addressing the Agriculture Labour Task Force Grant Program - funding to increase public awareness of agricultural career opportunities and to provide human resources training to support worker retention.

Food Futures Program (Alberta Food Processors Association) – wage subsidies of 50% (to maximum of $5,000) are available to hire current post-secondary students and recent grads (within 6 months) for temporary work experience placements (minimum 200 hours). Placements can be in any area relevant to the industry, including nutrition and food science, agriculture, technologists, accounting and finance, human resources, IT, logistics, safety, engineering, business, etc.

Child Care Space Creation Grant (Government of Alberta) – funding for new non-profit licensed child care spaces.

Construction New Talent Grant Program (Alberta Construction Association) – wage subsidies of 50% (to maximum of $5,000) are available to hire current post-secondary students and recent grads (up to 6 months) for temporary work experience placements (minimum 3 weeks). Placements can be engineers, technologists, accounting and finance, human resources, IT, logistics, procurement, safety, marketing, etc.

Driving Back to Work Grant (Government of Alberta) – grant program to support unemployed Albertans pursuing careers in the trucking industry.

Training & Wage Subsidies for Environmental Jobs (ECO Canada) - employment programs that stimulate environmental career pathways, skill development, business growth, workforce support and workforce advancement through wage and training funding.

Trucking HR Canada - Career Expressway - supports employers with recruitment efforts, helping them take advantage of industry specific financial incentives while connecting them with career seekers in the trucking and logistics sector.

Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP) (Government of Canada) - funding for agriculture employers hiring youth and youth facing barriers.

Apprenticeship related Incentives for Employers:

1. Apprenticeship job creation tax credit – Apprenticeship job creation tax credit

2. Canada Apprentice Loan – Canada.ca Canada Apprentice Loan

3. Apprenticeship Grants: Funding opportunities for skilled trades and apprenticeship - Canada.ca

• Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (AiG) - $1000 – who complete 1st and 2nd period
• Apprenticeship Completion Grant - $2000 – for apprentices who receive their RSE

4. Apprenticeship Training Award https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/apprentice-services/get-financial-support/apprentice-training-award/

5. Supports for skilled trades and apprenticeship – Supports for skilled trades and apprenticeship

6. Canada Tradesperson’s Tool deduction – up to $500 per year - Tradeperson's tool deduction

7. Supplementary unemployment benefit plan (SUBP) - Canada.ca – it allows the employer to top up wages from 55% to 95% while apprentices are in their technical training.

Grants and Funding Programs – Youth and Apprenticeships

Apprenticeship Service (Government of Canada) - supports employers to hire new first-year apprentices in 39 Red Seal trades. Small and medium-sized employers can get funding to hire first year apprentices.

Canada Summer Jobs wage subsidy (Government of Canada) – wage subsidies to employers with 50 or fewer full-time employees to create quality summer work experiences for young people aged 15 to 30 years.

CAREERS - Youth Internship Incentive Program (YIIP) – CAREERS works with Alberta schools to connect students to employers for paid internships. YIIP provides qualified employers with financial incentives to hire interns.

Empowering Futures for Apprentices (Electricity Human Resources Canada) – student work placement program for the electricity industry that provides subsidies to organizations who create these opportunities.

FIRST (First Industry Research Science Technology) Jobs Pilot Program (Technology Alberta) - meaningful work experience for students or recent graduates of an Alberta post-secondary institution while supporting growth of Alberta’s Tech Sector.

Student Work Placement Program (Government of Canada) - gives post-secondary students paid work experience related to their field of study. Employers are eligible for up to $5,000 for every student hired and up to $7,000 for first year students or students from an under-represented group (women in STEM, persons with disabilities, newcomers, Indigenous students, visible minorities).

Trade Pathways Program – Connects young unemployed, underemployed or underrepresented Albertans to COR-certified construction companies for paid work placements.

Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) Funding Programs (Government of Canada) – a range of funding programs to help young people get the information and gain the skills, work experience and abilities they need to make a successful transition into the labour market.

Resources – Employee Attraction, Recruitment, and Retention

Agriculture Job Connector (Government of Alberta) – matching workers with employers to fill agriculture and agri-food jobs.

Careers In Energy – free resources for small to large energy industry employers to help hiring and retention practices evolve and shift with the changing skills and knowledge demands of the energy sector.

Job Bank (Government of Canada) – advertise your job for free and access free tools and resources to help you find, hire, and retain the right workers. Jobs for Ukraine provides information on how to promote jobs to Ukrainians coming to Canada to escape the crisis in their country.

Level UP (Riipen) – enables employers to connect with students from schools across Canada for paid, short-term, remote projects.

Rural Roots – Work Integrated Learning (Rural Development Network) - facilitates matches between employers of all types with innovative and talented undergraduate students.

Tourism HR Canada – pan-Canadian organization with a mandate aimed at building a world-leading tourism workforce by facilitating, coordinating, and enabling human resource development activities.

Wage and salary information (Government of Alberta) – analysis of wages/salaries across a variety of occupations in Alberta.

Other Programs and Resources

Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) (Government of Alberta) - an economic immigration program for permanent residence in Alberta. Nominees must have skills to fill job shortages or be planning to buy or start a business in Alberta. AAIP includes several streams, including the Rural Entrepreneur Stream (RES) and the Rural Renewal Stream (RRS).

Alberta Purchasing Connection (APC) (Government of Alberta) – easy to use tool that lets public and private sector users manage, advertise, distribute and download public purchasing opportunities for goods, services, and construction in Alberta. Check APC for funding or proposal opportunities.

Business Benefits Finder (Government of Canada) - get a tailored list of government programs and services for your business.

Business Link – small business advice in Alberta to help small businesses start and thrive.

Community Futures Alberta – offers business loans, resources, mentoring, guidance and support for rural small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Employment Standards (Government of Alberta) – rules, regulations, compliance measures, and education and resources for employers and employees in Alberta workplaces.

Health and safety eNews (Government of Alberta) – monthly e-newsletter with the latest Occupational Health and Safety news and events.

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) (Government of Canada) – federal department that supports economic growth across the Canadian Prairies by helping people navigate federal economic programs and services.

Regional economic development resources (Government of Alberta) –resources to help community leaders, industry and business diversify and grow their regional economies.

Tradesecrets (Government of Alberta) – information about apprentice services, certification, trades in Alberta, regulations, and resources.